How to locate local TV broadcast towers (Please read before posting)

[1inxs]

The following links will help you find broadcast tower locations and station information. They are also useful in choosing the correct antenna for your location.
TV Fool
Address <---AntennaWeb
RabbitEars.Info
Antennapoint.com - Antenna Locator
The information listed in these websites is not always 100% correct. You can also contact your local county engineer for the information needed in aiming your DTV antenna.

 

[Jason Fritz]

One note about TVFool. I've received a few PMs asking where to click on to check approximate distance from broadcast towers. The link is labled as "Click Here" on the main page of TVFool which is shown in the picture below:

Clicking on that link will bring you to the TVFool Signal Locator where you can enter your address and receive a detailed analysis of which digital channels are in UHF or VHF frequencies, a list of available Digital TV channels (sorted by strongest to weakest in range), and azimuth.​

 

[Trip]

Also note that "county engineers" only exist in places with extensive translator networks, such as much of rural Utah.

- Trip

 

[staticMHZ]

YMMV for all locations.

 

[1inxs]

Also note that "county engineers" only exist in places with extensive translator networks, such as much of rural Utah.

- Trip

County engineers are in every county in the US. It's part of the governing body and has nothing to do with translators. Maintaining the translators just happens to fall under their jurisdiction.

 

[Aaron62]

County engineers are in every county in the US. It's part of the governing body and has nothing to do with translators. Maintaining the translators just happens to fall under their jurisdiction.

I remember us getting stuck on this the last time with no final answer. 1inxs, I just tried searching the net for a list of county engineers and didn't find any reference pages. I'll keep looking.

 

[1inxs]

I remember us getting stuck on this the last time with no final answer. 1inxs, I just tried searching the net for a list of county engineers and couldn't find anything. I'll keep looking.

What County are you in?

 

[Trip]

County engineers are in every county in the US. It's part of the governing body and has nothing to do with translators. Maintaining the translators just happens to fall under their jurisdiction.

I checked my county's website and did not see one.

- Trip

 

[1inxs]

I checked my county's website and did not see one.

- Trip

That's where you would call Charlotte County Permits. They can answer most questions and direct you to the proper person if they don't have an answer. They aren't required by law to update the FCC information.

A zoning permit is required for all new construction (commercial, agricultural, & residential), additions (including decks, porches, and garages), mobile homes, telecommunication towers, and swimming pools in Charlotte County. The purpose of the zoning permit is to insure that all proposed projects meet the requirements specified in Charlotte County's zoning ordinance.

 

[Jim5506]

Depending on the county, the "engineer" is more probably solely associated with road and bridge work than telecommunications.

 

[Cassandra H]

County engineers are in every county in the US. It's part of the governing body and has nothing to do with translators. Maintaining the translators just happens to fall under their jurisdiction.

Thanks for the info, 1inxs. So tired of being misinformed.

 

[pjs344]

From my experience with the 4 TV antenna help sites listed above. Rabbitears is the most updated site for accreate local TV station info, transmitter/translator locations, station subchannels and networks on each channel. TV fool has not been updated since 2014 and the forums are locked. Antennaweb and Antennapoint are lacking a translator database and new station channels are not updated. So how can someone really know or find out if they can get TV if these sites are not updated or have translators listed? I live in a rural area and there is only a local PBS translator that I can get. Nether site came up with the translator. But Rabbitears had it listed. Sure you have to use the TV query and not just add a zip code. But it list all the stations and transmitters/translators in any city or rural town that the other sites do not.

 

[David D.]

The following links will help you find broadcast tower locations and station information. They are also useful in choosing the correct antenna for your location.
TV Fool
AntennaWeb
RabbitEars.Info
Antennapoint.com - Antenna Locator
The information listed in these websites is not always 100% correct. You can also contact your local county engineer for the information needed in aiming your DTV antenna.

How do I know if I'm within 30 miles of a TV transmitting tower? How are they different looking than cell towers?

 

[Fringe Reception]

David,

You can look for photos of different tower services using Google.

Regarding free OTA television reception "30 miles" is a random number. Far more important is the direction you need to aim your antenna and the websites listed above tell you both distance and direction.

 

[Heather E.]

The following links will help you find broadcast tower locations and station information. They are also useful in choosing the correct antenna for your location.
TV Fool
Address <---AntennaWeb
RabbitEars.Info
Antennapoint.com - Antenna Locator
The information listed in these websites is not always 100% correct. You can also contact your local county engineer for the information needed in aiming your DTV antenna.

I simply download RCA antenna signal finder app and by doing so it allowed me to use my cell phone to pinpoint towers for abc, nbc, etc, and the distance to each tower in miles. Some antennas have higher and lower miles of service. I purchased an RCA antenna at Home Depot that had a range of 70 miles so it allowed me to choose which ones I wanted to focus on by distance. It shows a map of the entire state and allows you to zoom in and out to pinpoint exact placage without standing on your roof, turning an inch or two, running down to see if you have signal... We all know the game. Made it quite easy especially with a very secluded cabin in an extremely rural area that is on non-county maintained roads... Not squat for cable or internet services so to say... The app is free and you can use your phone literally anywhere with or without signal. Works amazing for hunters like me who travel deep off grid but still enjoy the small convenience of not just staring at a wall when not in the woods🙃